Tissue spectroscopy, which can include optical biopsy procedures, is a relatively new field in which light waves are used to diagnose diseases in the human body. Systems for performing such procedures typically include one or more light sources that illuminate the tissue and one or more receiving channels that measure or map the resulting emission from illuminated tissue. Interventional devices for performing such procedures can take on many forms. A common form is a long fiber-equipped catheter with a proximally mounted connector and a distal tip that is capable of sending and receiving light through optical transmission. Another form is a probe, which can contain a light source and detector, that can be placed in a body cavity. Examples of such probes are provided in commonly owned, copending U.S. patent application entitled, "Miniature Spectrometer" by Robert J. Crowley, Ser. No. 08/898,604, which is incorporated herein by reference. Within these probe-style spectroscopic devices, it is possible to include an entire power supply, light emission system, light detection system, and readout within the device. Such probes can be disposable using mass production techniques.
There are, however, situations in which repeated use of the probe is desirable. Such situations can include calibration, test and application of the probe to various areas of the body. The related problems of probe contamination and disease transfer should be avoided whenever possible. It has been suggested that condoms can be used as a sheath over such probes to prevent the occurrence of these problems. One problem associated with condoms and many other known sheath materials is that they often attenuate energy in the diagnostic wavelength bands, including the visible and ultraviolet wavelength ranges that are useful for detecting cancer and other life threatening diseases.